Gear abutment eliminator



Nov. 14, 1939. G. R. FEIGEL. A 2.180,29()

GEAR ABUTMENT ELIMINATOR Filed Feb. 21, 1938 2 Sheets-Sheet l Nov. 14, 1939. G. R. FEIGEL GEAR ABUTMENT ELIMINATOR Filed Feb. 2l, 1938 2 Sheets-Sheetl 2 Patented Nov. 14, 1939 UNITED STATES PATENT GFFICE l y 2,180,290 l GEAR ABUTMENT'ELnvlINAToR George R. Feigel, Chicago, Ill., assig'nor of twenty per cent to McLaughlin & Wallenstein, Chicago,

- Ill., a firm composed of John .L McLaughlin and Sidney Wallenstein Application February 2l, 19348, Serial o. 191,664

14 Claims. (Cl. 741-339) My invention relates to g'ear abutment eliminators and is particularly' concerned with means for eliminating automatically the abutment of eliminator which may beerectiveiy utilizes in powerope'rated automotive transmissions, particularly those of the vacuum' operated ty'p'e'. 1

- gears in automotive transmissions. It has par- A still further object of my invention is v to 5 tielar utility' in connection with sliding gear provide means for eliminating automatically the translmissicns of the selective typ where the abutment of gears in anautpmobile transmission mesrhg o gears corresponding to he difieren operatr'ljr responseft'o normal moveinen o forwardspeeds and reverse speed is accomplished the s'o-called shifter vraill or shifter plate which by movement of a sliding gear whose movement, controls the shifting of gears'. e Y,

longitudinal-ly of its axis, is controlled by move- )ther` objects will become apparent in the ment of a so-called shifter" rail or shifter plate, light of the following detailed description of particularly the former. the invention.

When a motor vehicle such as an automobile In general, my apparatus operates in response 1s at rest, it not infrequently happens that in to 'or as' an incident of the usual 6r normal moveshifting into first speed or into reverse the first ment' of the shifterjrails `or plates of a transor reverse sliding gear meets an abutment when mission such as the' conventional sliding vgearbeing moved into mesh. With a manually optran'slnissions of the selective type having a plu'- erated gear shift, this condition is immediately rality of forward speeds, usually three, and a detected since the gear shift lever cannot be reverse' speed. When anabutment of gears ocmoved to its flrst or reverse position as the case curs, resiliently r'm'ountefl means are set into may be. In the case of a manually operated nmtionwhereby a gear of the cluster` which abuts gear shlft, no danifzlage the gea'rs or otheir" mec'hwith a' sliding gear v is givten a slight rjotatory anism can resul ere is, oweve'r, he anmovement whereby, 'on coninuednormal movenoyance and inconvenience ofmanipulating the ment of the shiftery rail or the' like', the ge'ars clutch pedal to bring about a movement ofthe intermesh.` abutting` gear so that the gears can be properly IAn' illustrative embodiment of my inventlonls nliletlied. n thlhcase ofnpwell oleralddsgear .shown inthe accdmparying drawings" wherein s i s suc as e scf-ca e en ixu on Figure 1 is afragmenary cross sectiomparte electrically operated or controlled vacuumgear ly in elevation, of a" transmission showing fea` shifter or the Evans vacuum operated shifter tures of my gear abutment eliminator including such as is employed on current models of the one'wa'y of installing crmounting the same. Nash automobile, the existence of an' abutment Figure 2f is av fragmentary `plan View of the 0f gears remains unknown until lthe clutch is transmission, various" parts Alx'eing eliminated nlage'c. In sung asituastioilk,1 there his a posS- order to sholi'rv more clearly the novel structure 1i y o serious amage 6 e mec anisin. cof my invention.

curring before the clutch can again be disen- Figure Siisacutaway view, partly lin section, gaged. d t t t 'showing detailsr of my novel mechanism in rela"- In accor ance Wi h my nven ion, he possition to one of the shifter rails. s bility of gear abutment occurring is simply and Figurg4`an'd 5'show'detai1sof my 'device'.

40 eectively eliminated in an automatic manner A5 s-hw in Fig'ug land" '2; numeral |"0' rep: so that the operator of the vehlcle or the like regents He gul' trnsr'ssarz'as'e of an u1-,i does not even become aware that any abutment momie oir simular; Vehl mounted Within hasttsknlzcliciigly one object Aof' my invention are-the Conventional*Shifter-raus'Land-*mtime 4'5 to overcome automatically the abutment of gears hrauregerrlglsgrfgag in change speed mechanisms employing interp i f .l meshing gears. serving to control second and thlrd forward Another Object of my invention is the pr-Wi spe,.eds l'- 1hel mechanism. of my 1nvent1on 1s desion of a relatively simple and inexpensive mech- Sllflfed liiOJunC-'lowlth thefr and 1f averse anism for eliminating automatically the abuts 1 el' raf an enc@ no ur er Te @rence ment of gears in Vautomotive transmissions of W11` be made t0 s hlfte' 1` 11 |2' @XCP as im?" the selective' type having a plurality-of forward dental t0 the mam d 1esor1pt1on; v|fnh follows; speeds and areverse speed. t The first-anu reverse s lding gear 1s moun ed Still another object of my invention involves theusuall on a shaft I4' and is' adapted 5'5': the provisionA of an automatic gear abutment to mesh withi gears of; tllegearY clu'sfti'l' in the present instance, only the first speed gear I6 mounted on the shaft I1 being shown herein.

Mounted on the shifter rail II is an encircling sleeve I8 which, under conditions where an abutment of gears occurs, is adapted to move or slide on said shifter rail II longitudinally of its axis. Under normal conditions, however, that is, where no abutment of gears occurs when shifting, for example, into first speed or reverse, the sleeve I8 moves together with the shifter rail II and not relative thereto. This relationship is brought about by the employment of springs I9 and 2I and cooperating elements which are shortly to be described. The spring I9 encircles the shifter rail II and is disposed between one end of the sleeve I8 and a collar 22 which is fixed or immovably fastened to the shifter rail II. The spring 2I encircles the shifter rail II and is disposed between the other end of the sleeve I8 and the motivated arm 23 which is also iixedly attached to the shifter rail I I. Integral with or suitably attached to the sleeve I8 so as to be movable therewith is a shifter arm 25 which serves to effect sliding movement of the sliding gear I3 as in conventional automotive transmissions.

The sleeve I8 is provided with ears 21, and a pin 28 passes therethrough and serves to pivotally support a rocker arm 29. As will be seen from Figures 1 and 3, the shifter rail II is provided with a cam surface which is formed with a lowermost portion 32 and upwardly sloping side portions 33 and 34. The sleeve I8 is provided with a slot or cut-out portion through which one end of the rocker arm 29 projects. It will be understood that the compressive strengths of the springs I9 and 2| are such as to maintain the sleeve I8 in its normal or central position over the cam surface 3I under ordinary conditions, that is, when no abutment of gears occurs, said end of the rocker arm 29 resting in the lowermost portion 32 of the cam surface under such conditions.

The other end of the rocker arm 29 rests upon a resiliently supported plate or tappet4 36 which is provided with a downwardly extending or depending hollow member 31, a shoulder 38 being formed between the tappetv 36 and the member 31 whereby a spring .39 is supported between said shoulder 38 and a mounting bracket' 4I which is'conveniently mounted on the inside of the transmission case Ill in any suitable manner, as shown in Figures 1 and 2, as, for example, by means of bolts which pass through the openings 42 in the mounting vbracket 4I. The member 31 is supported for sliding movement in the bracket 4I and the spring 39 normally urges the tappet 36, thev member 31 and the end of the arm 29 with which it is in contact upwardly. In norm'al'position,V therefore, one end of the rocker arm 29` rests on the lowermost portion 32 of the cam surface and the other end of said rocker arm rests on the tappet 36,

Mounted in the lower part of the member 31 is an arm or pushrod 43 which is retained therein by a ypin 44, the arm 43 and the spring 41, which are held together by the pin 48, serving to hold said arm 43 in position. The spring 41 permits the arm 43 to follow the arc of the gear I6 and the spring 46 constitutes a safety release in case there should be an accidental reverse rotation of the gear I6.

Attached to the collar 22 is an arm 49 having an opening at its end through which the second and third speed shifter rail I2 passes. This arrangement insures against any possible rotary motion of the first and reverse shifter rail Il.

Operation Assume that the automobile or other vehicle or the like is at rest and the gears of the transmission are in such a position that upon sliding the gear I3 toward the gear I6 an abutment takes place. A shift into first speed is commenced whereupon the motivated arm 23, which is fixed to the rst and reverse shifter rail II,

moves toward the right (Fig. 2). This movement results in a movement of the entire assembly which is mounted on the rst and reverse shifter rail II and a sliding movement of the sliding gear I3 toward the right. When the gear I3 abuts against the gear I6, as shown in Fig. 1, further movement of the gear I3 towards the right and further movement of the sleeve I8 towards the right cannot occur although the rst and reverse shifter rail I I continues to move to the right. This continued movement of the shifter rail II compresses the spring I9 and, in addition, causes the end of the rocker arm 29, resting at the bottom 32 of the cam surface, to move up the incline or sloping surface 33. 'Ihe opposite end of the rocker arm 29 thereupon is depressed and forces the tappet 36 downwardly against the action of the spring 39. The downward movement of the tappet 36 causes the arm or pushrod 43 to come into contact with the teeth of the gear I6 whereupon the gear I6 is rotated to an extent to eliminate the abutment. The compressed spring I9 thereupon expands and moves the sliding gear I3 into mesh with the gear I6 of the cluster.

As the spring I9, through the sleeve I8 and the shifter arm 25, movesthe gears I3 and I6 into mesh, the rocker arm 29 descends to the bottom 32 of the cam surface, in other words, into its normal position. When the pressure on the top of the tappet 36 is thus released, the spring 39 moves the pushrod 43 upwardly and out of contact with the gear I6.

Upon meeting an abutment when shifting i'nto reverse, the operation is the same as described with the exception that the shifter rail I I moves to the left (Fig. 2), the spring 2| is compressed, and the rocker arm 29 moves on the sloping portion 34 of the cam surface.

It will be understood that, where no abutmen of gears occurs in shifting into either first speed or reverse, the first and reverse shifter rail operates in the` same way as the conventional shifter rail in the usual transmissions.

While I have described my novel gear abutment eliminator in use in a transmission employing shifter rails, it is obvious that it may be utilized in transmissions using shifter plates instead of shifter rails. The appended claims will, therefore, be understood to cover my novel teachings in a broad sense.

What I claim as new and desire to protect by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. In a transmission having a plurality of forward speeds and a reverse speed, a sliding gear controlled rst speed and reverse, a second gear adapted to mesh with said sliding gear, a shifting mechanism to cause movement of said sliding gear longitudinally of its axis, means operated by the movement of said shifting mechanism to impart rotary movement to said second gear to an extent sufficient to cause said sliding gear to mesh with saidsecond gear, and means wherebysaid last-mentioned means is brought into operation only when 'saidfs'econd gear is at rest. v2. Inra gear abutmenteliminator, the combinationv with asliding 'gear, which is adapted to mesh with a second gear, of a shifter rail, means mal movement of saidshifter rail to impart rotary movement to said second gear to an extent sufficient to cause said'sliding gear to mesh with said second gear, and means whereby said lastmenticned means is brought into `operation only when said second gear is at rest.

4. In a gear abutment eliminator, in combination, asliding gear transmission of the selective type having a plurality of forward speeds and a reverse speed and wherein first speed and reverse are effected by movement of a sliding gear longitudinally of its axis and which is adaptedr to meshA with a second gear, a shifter t rail operatively connected to effectsliding movement of said Vsliding gear, means operated by the normal movement of said shifter rail to impart rotary movement to said second gear to an extent sufficient to cause said sliding gear to mesh with said` second gear, and means whereby said last-mentioned means is brought into operation only when said second gear is at rest.

5. In a gear abutment eliminator, the combination with a sliding gear, which is adapted to mesh with a second gear, of means to cause sliding movement of said sliding gear, resiliently mounted means operated by the normal movement of said rst mentioned means to impart rotary movement to said second gear to an extent suicient to cause` said sliding gear to mesh with said second gear, and means whereby said resiliently mounted means is brought into operation only when said second gear is at rest.

6. In a gear abutment eliminator, in combination, a sliding gear transmission of the selective type having a plurality of forward speeds and a reverse speed and wherein rst speed and reverseare effected by movement of a sliding gear longitudinally of its axis and which is adapted to mesh with a second gear, a shifter rail operatively connected to eifect sliding movement of said sliding gear, an arm which is adapted to Contact said second gear to rotate the same when said sliding gear abuts therewith, and means operated in response to normal movement of said shifter rail to impart movement to said arm to effect rotation of said second gear to an extent suicient to cause said sliding gear to mesh with said second gear.

7. In a gear abutment eliminator, in combination, a sliding gear transmission of the selective type having a plurality of forward speeds and a reverse speed and wherein first speed and.

reverse are effected by movement of a sliding gear longitudinally of its axis and which is adapted to mesh with a second gear, a shifter rail operatively connected to effect sliding movement of said sliding geanaa resiliently mounted arm which is adapted to Contact said second gear to rotate the same when said sliding gear abuts sufficient to Vcausesaid sliding therewith, 'and resiliently .mounted means operated .inresponseto normal movement of said shifter rail to impart movement to said arm to effect rotation -of said second gear to an extent gear to mesh with said second gear.

8. In j-an automobile transmission having a plurality of forward-speeds and a reverse speed,

a sliding gear which controls first speed and reverse, a second gear which is adapted to mesh therewith, a shifterraiLa shifter arm which is adapted to move withsaid 4shifter rail and to cause sliding movement-of said sliding gear, a spring-mounted sleeve encircling said shifter rail and connected to saidshifter arm, said sleeve and saidshifter arm being adapted to move'longitudinally with respect to said shifter rail,

means operated bythe movement of said shifter rail to impart rotary movement to said'second gear to an extent sumcient to cause said sliding gear to mesh with saidfsecond gear, and means wherebysaid last-mentioned means is brought into operation only when said secondV gear is at rest. f

9. In an automobile transmission having a plurality of forward speeds and a reverse speed, a sliding gearv which controls first speed and reverse, asecond gear which is adapted to mesh therewith, a shifter rail, a shifter arm which is adaptedjto move with said'shifter rail and to cause sliding movement of said slidingk gear, a

sleeve at least partially lencircling said vshifter rail and connectedtosaid shifter arm, said sleeve and said shifter arm being adapted to move longitudinally with respect to said shifter, rail, springs encircling said shifter rail and disposed at opposite sides of said sleeve, the strength of said springs being such as to maintain the sleeve in a predetermined position on said shifter rail in the absence of an abutment of gears, -and means operated in response to movement of said vshifter rail to impart rotary movement to said second gear, when an abutment occurs, to an extent sufficient to cause said sliding gear tol mesh with said second gear.

10. In an automobile transmission having a plurality of forward speeds and a sliding gear. which 'controls rst speed and reverse, a second gear which is adapted to mesh therewith, a'shifter rail, a shifter arm which is adapted tokmove with said shifter rail and to cause sliding movement of said sliding gear, a spring-mounted sleeve encircling said shifter rail and connected to said shifter arm, said sleeve and said shifter arm being adapted to move longitudinally with respect to said shifter rail, a cam surface on said shifter rail, a rocker arm pivoted to an extension on said sleeve and one end of which rocker arm passes through a slot in said sleeve so as to Contact apart of said cam surface, and means cooperating with said rocker vof said sliding' gear, a spring-mounted sleeve encircling said shifter rail and connected to said a reverse speed,

shifter arm, said sleeve and saidslfter'arm being adapted to move longitudinally with respect to said shifter rail, springs encircling said shifter rail and abutting against said sleeve at opposite sides thereof, a cam surface on said shifter rail which is provided with a lowermost portion and upwardly sloping sides, a spring supported arm suitably mounted in said casing, a rocker arm passing through a slot formed in said sleeve and normally resting on the lowermost portion of said cam surface, said rocker arm serving to depress said spring supported arm when an abutment of said gears occurs in response to normal movement of said shifter rail whereby rotary movement is imparted to said second gear to an extent suicient to cause said sliding gear to mesh with said second gear.

12. In an automobile transmission having a plurality of forward speeds and a reverse speed, a sliding gear which controls first speed and reverse, a second gear which is adapted to mesh therewith, a shifter rail, a shifter arm which is adapted to move with said shifter rail and to cause sliding movement of said sliding gear, a spring-mounted sleeve encircling said shifter rail and connected to said shifter arm, said sleeve and said shifter arm being adapted to move longitudinally with respect to said shifter rail, a spring mounted arm and means operated in response to normal movement of said shifter rail to actuate said spring mounted arm whereby rotary movement is imparted to said second gear, when an abutment occurs, to an extent sufficient to cause said sliding gear to mesh with said second gear.

y'13. Inan automobile transmission having a plurality of forward speeds and a reverse speed, a sliding gear which .controls rst speed and reverse, a second gear which is adapted to mesh therewith, a shifter rail, a shifter arm which isl adapted to move with said shifter rail and to cause sliding movement of said sliding gear, means for eliminating automatically the abut` ment of said gears including a spring-mounted sleeve encircling said shifter rail and connected to said shifter arm, said sleeve and said shifter arm being adapted to move longitudinally with respect to said shifter rail, a cam surface on said shifter rail, a spring mounted tappet and a gearing moving arm operable thereby, and a pivoted rocker arm which, whenv an abutment of said gears takes place, acts upon said tappet to depress said gear moving arm in response to normal movement of said shifter rail whereby to impart rotary movement to said second gear to an extent sucient to cause said sliding gear to mesh with said second gear.

14. In a gear abutment eliminator, the combination with a sliding gear, which is adapted to mesh with a second gear, of a shifting mechanism to cause movement of said sliding gear longitudinally of its axis, and means operated in response to normal movement of said shifting mechanism to impart rotary movement to said second gear to an extent sufficient to cause said sliding gear to mesh with said second gear, said means being brought into operation only when an abutment of said gears occurs.

GEORGE R. FEJIGEL. 

